The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1887-05-06
A Bit Of History.

A Dill VI hlStoly'
Near the close of last year the Gov
ernors of Virginia, Rhode Island,
Georgia, Delaware, Pennsylvania ana
Maryland, aaa representatives OF the
Governors Of four Others of the original
thirteen States. met in Philadelphia, to
take measures for centennial celepra-
ton of the adoption Of the National
Constitution by a Convention at fhiia-
delphia on September 18th, 1871 lheSe
gentlemen resolved that celebration OF
that event should be held at Philadelphia
on the 18th of September next, and that
the President of the United States and
the Governors of ali the States and Ter
ritories should be asked to assist IN the
celebration. 1t has been urged IN some
ouarters that the celebration OF the day
named above wonld be premature and
improper, as all that the Convention
could do was to agree upon the form and
substance of an instrument which was to
be submitted to the final decision OF the
people. who alone had power to ''adopt'
or ''ratify" it. The National Constitu-
ton only became the fundamental law OF
the Republic after it had been ratified by
nine of the States. and as this happened
when New Hampshire approved 1t on
the 2lst of June, 1873, the most natural
time. it would seem, to celebrate the
adoption" would be on the anniversary
ofthis event
As to where the centennial should be
held, it has be suggested that as no one
place can rightly claim the precedence, 1t
should be- celebrated at the respective
capitals of the nine ratifying States on
the same day, viz. the 21st Of June. In
this way very mary more OF the citizens
of the Republic could join in the eelebra-
ton of the great event, which was in re-
ality the last and most important OF the
grand series of patriotic acts that led to
the establishment of this Government,
and transformed the thirteen States into
a nation.
1t may be of interest to our readers to
recall the part that Maryland took in the
adoption of the constitution. We have
collected the following facts as to the posi-
ton our State assumed in this exciting
and unsettled period Of national history
The Maryland Legislature at its session
ia November, 1877, ordered convention,
but fixed the time OF meeting late in the
Spring Of 1888. 1t may be we'll to note
here that the Constitution in itself had
its opponents, and moreover there was
a party strong in Virginia, headed by
Richard Henry Lee, which tried in sew
eral States to have proposition for
Southern Confederacy considered. The
delay in holding the Convention gave
Lee and his friends opportunity to bring
their influence to bear upon the leaders Of
opinion in Maryland But General Wash
iugton stood "rock Of defence in the
region of the Potomac and used his
mighty influence to defeat the scheme of
the intriguers. In published letter to
friend he said: "My decided opinion
is that there is no alternative between the
adoption of the proceedings of the Ma
tional Convention and anarchy. If one
State, however important it may conceive
itself to be (meaning Nirginia), or mi
aority of them should suppose that they
can dictate Constitution to the Union,
they will find themselves deceived
When the Maryland Convention as
sembled at Annapolis on April 2lst,
l1SS. there was found to be some strong
opponents of the Constitution, and warm
debates continued for several days
tut luOSI NCHCillCuU VI lhooS W
ponents was Samuel Chase. Amend
ments were proposed and it is said while
the enemies of the Constitution were
s'filling the hall with loud words the
friends Of the measure remained ''infex-
IDLY SILENT A vot9 was taken on the
2Gth of April, and the Constitution was
ratified by vote of G3 to IL. a propo-
sition to form Southern Confederacy
did not find single supporter. Mary
land was the seventh in the order OF
States that ratified the proposed "fun-
damental law In some States it receiv-
I'd only small majority. Maryland's
vote was nearly six to one; and, no
doubt, her very decided action and the
fact, that after her vote was recorded
a majority of the States had acted
helped to procure the speedy ratification
of the Constitution in other States.